Living in a hallway: Gotta love the trees

09/05/2024 - Walpole

My neck hurts.

There's a short walk just behind the information centre in Walpole that leads to the wetlands and around the old horse yard site. The bush has reclaimed the site and there are some bloody old trees in there. One of the best parts is the information boards that answered all of our questions about the common plants in the area.

This Karri makes me look skinny.

My new home.

After lunch, we rode another section of the Mundi Bundi cycleway and ended up riding around all the grand designs in Walpole.

Coalmine beach.

10/05/2024 - Coalmine Beach Walpole

Today we rode the bikes along the Munda Biddi trail from Coalmine Beach to Nornalup, the track was in quite bad condition so we turned around and went back to Coalmine Beach following the Bibbulmun track, we then rode around the Knoll and the Walpole Inlet.

Swarbrick Jetty.

Walpole inlet.

Track into Walpole.

Fungus

The sky was as black as the inside of a cow so we headed back to camp. We only just made it. Thunder, lightning and heavy rain came down.

11/05/2024 - Walpole

We invoked rule number one again and decided to stay in Walpole another day. It was a really nice morning and we had unfinished business.

We did a bit of sightseeing and drove to the Swarbrick art trail and then onto Mt Frankland, where we climbed up the lookout and viewed the damage caused by bushfires deliberately lit on Anzac Day.

Swarbrick art trail

Karri's

Blackened hills

Another spotting of the silver-crested Gallaha.

We then went off to find the Giant Tingle Tree via the scenic route. It took us down a lot of fire trails and we ended up making an unscheduled visit to Circular Pool on the Frankland River, we eventually made it to the Giant Tingle tree and weren't disappointed.

The Giant Tingle.

After tea, we headed down to Coalmine Beach to view the Aurora caused by the electromagnetic storm forecasted by the BOM.

Aurora from Coalmine Beach

Aurora from Coalmine Beach with Jetty Lights

12/05/2023 - Shannon National Park

Left Walpole this morning and headed for Shannon National Park. The campground is virtually empty as most people have now headed north. We have the campground to ourselves and it's the first chance we have had to have a campfire since the Nullabor as the fire restrictions were extended in WA.

The campground is on the site of an old logging township that was operated from 1947 until 1968. The Shannon township was occupied from 1950 until 1968. Many of the workers at the mill were immigrants from Europe they moved into the town with their families. The township had 90 homes, a Post Office, a General Store, a Golf Club, a School, a Nursing Station and a Workers Club.

After doing a bushwalk it was great to sit around a fire with a beer in the peace and quiet.

13/05/2024 - Shannon National Park Campground

We still have the campground to ourselves. The hot water service for the showers is advertised as a woodchip heater, the reality is it's a 195-litre solid fuel hot water service and it took quite a while to heat the water up for our showers. Consequently, we had plenty of time to sit around camp.

Shannon Dam.

Toadstools

Walk to Shannon Dam

Shannon River Bridge

Shannon River Highway Bridge

After lunch, we walked the trail to Shannon Dam, built in 1949 to supply the Shannon township. We passed many of the sites of the old township and sawmill.

There isn't a breath of wind here. We had another fire and cooked a loaf of bread in the camp oven.

Damper

Shannon National Park Campground

14/05/2024 - Pemberton

This morning we moved on to Pemberton, on the way we stopped in the sleepy town of Northcliffe. It's a quiet little town in the forest.

Forrest drive.

Northcliffe.

We are now camped in Pemberton another Timbertown. The caravan park is only a short walk into town. This afternoon we did a walk around Pemberton and it has a great collection of old timber cottages that were originally built for the timber workers and their families.

Pemberton Cottaage

Pemberton Cottages

Pemberton Cottage called Korweinguboora (The Owner must be a Victorian)

SSM No 7 Steam Locomotive. Pemberton Timber Mill.

15/05/2024 - Pemberton

It was a pretty cold morning when we got up today. We made an early start and visited most of the sites Pemberton has to offer. The first stop was the Cascades. We completed the short 45-minute walk along the brook and the Karri forest.

The Cascades.

The water was like a mirror.

We left the Cascades and drove along the Karri Forest Explorer Drive, weaving our way through the giants. stopping off at the Dave Evans Bicentennial tree established in 1988 for the bicentennial year. Normally you can climb the 65-meter tree, currently, it's closed for maintenance.

Beedelup Falls bridge.

Explorer drive.

The next stop was Beedelup Falls, Big Brook Arboretum and Big Brook Dam. We finished the drive at the Gloucester Tree (also closed for maintenance). The Gloucester tree was one of many trees used for fire spotting in days gone by. Spikes were impaled into the tree, forming a spiral ladder and a platform built at the top.

16/05/2024 - Manjimup

This morning we took a ride on the Pemberton Tram to the Cascades. It's a 75-minute return trip through the Karri and Jarrah forests. The tramway was constructed in 1914 to service the sleeper contract for the Australian Railway Project. It operated for 50 years and during its lifetime provided an important transportation link that allowed the development of the region.

Pemberton Station

Pemberton Tramway

Pemberton Tram

After our ride, we left Pemberton for Manjimup and stopped at the Diamond Tree, another Karri fire lookout tree.

Scars from the spike removal.

The Diamond tree.

Fire lookout at the top of the Diamond Tree

17/05/2024 - Manjimup

The day dawned to the sound of the black Cockatoos screeching and dropping gum nuts on the BBQ shelter roof. A Hell of a racket. Fortunately, it only lasted for 10 or 15 minutes. But we were awake so we got up and spent the morning relaxing in the sunshine.

After lunch, we rode down to the Heritage Precinct on our bikes to tour the Power Museum, the State Timber Museum, and the Heritage Park.

Cool slide.

Used to haul logs out of the forrest

Steam Winch.

Same model as the one in Pemberton Park.

I think the gauge needs calibrating.

Early steam generator.

We finished the day with a leisurely ride out to Deans Mill about 7kms from Manjimup with a stop at the Tall Timbers Brewery on the way home. ( I think we're getting back to Hipster country,)

18/05/2024 - 20/05/2024 - Nannup, Woodmans Pool

Today we headed for Nannup as there are a couple of rail trails we wanted to ride. When we arrived we discovered the WA Forest Rally was in town for the weekend so just about every campsite was occupied. We parked at Woodmans Pool in the day-use area and walked to the overflow campsite to see if anything was available but nothing was suitable. Fortunately, we ran into Ranger Michael back at Woodmans Pool who said "Just leave it there, you'll be right. If anyone grizzles tell them you have my permission."

Rally Pits.

Leading Toyota.

Gotta love a Rexy.

Turns out it was a great spot we stayed 3 days and got involved in the rally, and then on Monday we rode one of the Rail Trails. Which turned out to be rough as guts it was being used by 4-wheel drives. Who had chewed the track up terribly.